This invention is generally directed to processes for the preparation of arylamines, triarylamines, charge transporting components, and intermediates for charge transporting molecules and polymers, which intermediates can be selected for the preparation of Verde film components, and more specifically, the present invention relates to an improved process for the preparation of hole transporting molecules, such as arylamines, and wherein there are selected certain copper catalysts, and in embodiments low temperatures. The catalysts selected for the processes of the present invention include ligated copper salts, and more specifically, copper (1) salts, and wherein the ligands are characterized as monodentate tertiary amines and bidentate tertiary amines, such as 1,10-phenanthroline, or pyridine, and the like. The products obtained, such as the arylamines and other charge transporting molecules, with the processes of the present invention can be incorporated into layered photoconductive imaging members with a photogenerating layer and a supporting substrate, reference for example U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,990, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference. The aforementioned layered photoconductive imaging members can be negatively charged when the photogenerating layer is situated between the charge transport layer and the substrate, or positively charged when the charge transport layer is situated between the photogenerating layer and the supporting substrate. The layered photoconductive imaging members can be selected for a number of different known imaging and printing processes including, for example, electrophotographic imaging processes, especially xerographic imaging and printing processes wherein negatively charged or positively charged images are rendered visible with toner compositions of the appropriate charge. Generally, these imaging members are sensitive in the wavelength regions of from about 500 to about 850 nanometers, thus diode lasers can be selected as the light source.
Processes for the preparation of certain charge transporting molecules are known, reference for example U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,299,983; 4,485,260; 4,240,987; 4,764,625 and 4,299,983, the disclosures of each of these patents being totally incorporated herein by reference. These and other prior art illustrate the Ullmann condensation of 3-methyldiphenylamine and diiodobiphenyl at high temperatures, for example 160.degree. C., reference the U.S. Pat. No. 4,764,625, and wherein cuprous oxide catalysts are selected. With these processes, the crude charge transport molecules generated are of lower quality and possess lower purity than the charge transport molecules obtained with the processes of the present invention. Higher crude purities enable a much wider choice of purification protocols. As a general rule, high temperature reactions are more prone to produce troublesome impurities necessitating extensive purification. This becomes particularly important when products with electronic grade purities are required, such as for use as charge transporting molecules in layered photoconductive xerographic imaging members, reference U.S. Pat. No. 4,265,990, the disclosure of which is totally incorporated herein by reference. Moreover, lower temperatures have a positive influence on the economics of these processes primarily because of reduced energy demands.